
The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University in basketball. The Owls compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as part of the American Athletic Conference. They have a rich history in the sport, being the sixth-most winningest NCAA Division I men's college basketball program of all time, with 2,000 wins. The Owls have appeared in the NCAA Tournament over thirty times and have also reached the Final Four twice in the 1950s. The team has been coached by Hall of Famers like Harry Litwack and John Chaney, and has seen players like Mark Macon, Juan Ignacio Sanchez, and Eddie Jones go on to play in the NBA. The Temple Owls men's basketball team has a passionate following, with students displaying long banners during Big 5 games, and rivalries with Villanova, Penn, Saint Joseph's, and La Salle.
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What You'll Learn
- The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University
- The Owls compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I
- They play their home games in the Liacouras Center on the university's main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- The Owls are led by head coach Adam Fisher
- The Owls are one of nine programs that have appeared in the NCAA Tournament over thirty times without winning

The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University
The Owls have a rich history in college basketball, dating back to their first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) championship in 1938, a year before the NCAA Tournament began. They were recognized as national champions for the 1937-38 season and won the NIT championship again in 1969. During the 1950s, the Temple basketball team made two NCAA Final Four appearances (1956 and 1958) under head coach Harry Litwack, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Owls have reached the NCAA Tournament over thirty times, making them the sixth-most winningest NCAA Division I men's college basketball program of all time, with 2,000 wins. They have appeared in the NIT 19 times, with a combined record of 23-17. Despite their many appearances, they are one of nine programs that have not won the NCAA Tournament and one of four that have never reached the National Championship Game.
The Temple Owls became a member of the Big East Conference for all sports in 2013, after spending 31 years in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They have long-standing rivalries with Villanova, Penn, Saint Joseph's, and La Salle, as part of the Big 5, the five large colleges in Philadelphia. The Owls have won the most Big 5 titles, tied with Villanova, and their most recent win was in the 2022-23 season.
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The Owls compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I
The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University in the sport of basketball. The Owls compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American). They play their home games in the Liacouras Center on the university's main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are currently led by head coach Adam Fisher.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics across about 1,100 schools in the United States, and one in Canada. It organizes the athletic programs of colleges and helps over 500,000 college student-athletes who compete annually in college sports. The NCAA's headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The NCAA has a three-division system: Division I, Division II, and Division III. This structure was adopted in 1973 to recognize varying levels of emphasis in the athletics programs of different schools. Generally, larger schools compete in Division I, and smaller schools in II and III. Division I and II schools can offer athletic scholarships to students, but Division III schools may not.
The Owls have a rich history in the NCAA Division I, with 2,000 wins, making them the sixth most successful team in the division. They have reached the NCAA Tournament over thirty times, one of nine programs with that many appearances to have not won. They have also appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) 19 times, winning the championship in 1938 and 1969. The Owls have long-standing rivalries with Villanova, Penn, Saint Joseph's, and La Salle, and are tied with Villanova for the most Big 5 titles.
In 2022, the Temple Owls men's basketball team announced its 2022-23 schedule, with Coach Aaron McKie leading the squad.
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They play their home games in the Liacouras Center on the university's main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University in the sport of basketball. The Owls play their home games in the Liacouras Center, located on the university's main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Liacouras Center serves as the heart of Temple University's sports and entertainment events, providing a modern and versatile venue for the Owls' home games.
The Temple Owls have a rich history in college basketball, with a long list of accomplishments. They were the first National Invitation Tournament (NIT) champions in 1938, even before the NCAA Tournament existed. The team was also recognised as the national champion for the 1937-38 season by prominent basketball organisations. This early success set the tone for the Owls' basketball programme, which has since become one of the most successful in NCAA Division I.
Playing in the Liacouras Center gives the Owls a distinct home-court advantage. The arena is named after Temple University's former president, Peter J. Liacouras, who was instrumental in the university's growth and transformation. The centre was opened in 1997 and has a capacity of 10,206 seats for basketball games, providing an intimate and energetic atmosphere for the team's passionate fan base.
The Owls have a long-standing rivalry with several colleges in Philadelphia, including Villanova, Penn, Saint Joseph's, and La Salle. They are members of the Big 5, a group of five large colleges in the city known for their basketball programmes. The Owls have had their fair share of success in this competitive environment, having won the most Big 5 titles, tied with Villanova. Their games against these rivals often become intense and highly anticipated events in the Philadelphia sports calendar.
The Liacouras Center has witnessed many memorable moments in Temple Owls basketball history. The team has reached the NCAA Tournament over thirty times, a testament to their consistent performance and dedication to excellence. While they have yet to win the NCAA Tournament, their numerous appearances and strong showing in the National Invitation Tournament have solidified their place as a powerhouse in college basketball.
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The Owls are led by head coach Adam Fisher
The Temple Owls men's basketball team has a rich history in the sport, with many achievements to its name. The team has had several notable coaches over the years, with the current head coach being Adam Fisher, who was appointed in 2023.
Fisher was named the 19th head coach in Temple University's history, taking the reins of a team that represents Temple University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The Owls have had a successful run in men's college basketball, being the sixth-most winningest NCAA Division I program of all time, with 2,000 wins. This impressive feat includes reaching the NCAA Tournament over thirty times.
Adam Fisher is no stranger to the world of basketball and has a proven track record of success. Before taking on the role of head coach, Fisher served as the director of basketball operations for Boston University during the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in guiding the Terriers to back-to-back 21-win seasons and postseason appearances. The team even clinched the 2011 America East Conference Championship, making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in almost a decade.
Fisher's expertise in the sport is further highlighted by his experience as the Nittany Lions' video coordinator and his subsequent promotion to the director of player development position in 2012. His academic credentials are equally impressive, having earned a master's degree in education leadership and a bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Penn State.
Under Fisher's leadership, the Temple Owls men's basketball team has continued to make strides. In his second season as head coach, the Owls made significant progress, improving their regular-season win total and adding four more victories in AAC play. The team's offense was particularly noteworthy, establishing a new program record of 78.8 points per game. The Owls also demonstrated their prowess at the free-throw line, ranking third nationally in free throws made per game and fourth in free-throw attempts during the 2024-25 season.
With a talented coach and a history of success, the Temple Owls men's basketball team is poised for continued achievement in the sport. Fisher's strategic guidance and the team's dedication are sure to keep them competitive and in the running for future championships.
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The Owls are one of nine programs that have appeared in the NCAA Tournament over thirty times without winning
The Temple Owls men's basketball team represents Temple University in the sport of basketball. The Owls compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I as a member of the American Athletic Conference. They play their home games in the Liacouras Center on the university's main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and are currently led by head coach Adam Fisher.
The Owls have a rich history in college basketball, reaching the NCAA Tournament over thirty times. However, they are one of nine programs with that many appearances to have never won the Tournament and one of four to have never reached the National Championship Game. Despite their success in making the Tournament, the Owls have not been able to bring home the ultimate prize.
The Owls have had their fair share of notable coaches and players throughout their history. Former head coaches Harry Litwack and John Chaney are both members of the Basketball Hall of Fame, with Litwack leading the team to two NCAA Final Four appearances in the 1950s and Chaney guiding the Owls to the NCAA Tournament 17 times in 24 seasons. The team has also produced several NBA players, including Mark Macon, Juan Ignacio Sanchez, Eddie Jones, Lavoy Allen, and Aaron McKie, who took over as head coach in 2019.
In recent years, the Owls have struggled to qualify for the NCAA Tournament consistently, making it only in 2016 and 2019 since joining the American Athletic Conference in 2013. Despite their struggles, the Owls remain a competitive force in college basketball, and with Coach Fisher at the helm, they continue to strive for their first NCAA Tournament victory.
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